Borehamwood

A Morning service in Allum Hall, Borehamwood, tomorrow is the latest step towards a Sephardi minyan for the Borehamwood and Elstree area.

Among the minyan founders is banker Daniel Cuceiro, originally from Spain, who joined the local Federation shul when his family moved to Borehamwood four years ago. He came to realise that there were many other Sephardim in the area who attended Orthodox synagogues and shared his desire to worship according to their own traditions.

Borehamwood’s only all-day Jewish nursery school has followed its first academic year with an encouraging Ofsted report.

Ofsted rated Little Bicks highly in most areas and head Rivka Bick was pleased that the nursery was praised for offering “a high level of care and education”.

The report singled out the committed and well-qualified staff, who “responded promptly and appropriately to the children’s individual needs, providing a range of stimulating activities backed up through real life experiences such as day trips to areas of interest in the community”.

Joseph Machta and Dovid Benmayer are the new Borehamwood Synagogue youth directors and will start their job-share in September.

Both have been active in Jewish life on campus, served as cheder teachers, and have a youth work background through Bnei Akiva.

According to a member of the community’s youth management team: “We have a very extensive youth programme at Borehamwood and look forward to Joseph and Dovid bringing their passion and commitment to the creation of further exciting activities which will attract even greater numbers of young people.”

Fathers have been banned from watching their daughters compete at a Jewish secondary school’s sports day.

Yavneh College in Borehamwood has written to parents informing them that “male spectators” are not allowed at the girls’ section of sports day, which is taking place on Monday.

“I disagree with this strongly,” said one mother, who asked not to be named. “It’s done for religious reasons but it’s completely over the top. My daughter is very disappointed that her dad won’t be able to watch her compete.”

A new Borehamwood Jewish nursery is proving so popular that it is already over-subscribed for the September term.

Run by mother-of-two Rivka Bicks and her sister-in-law Louise Bicks, Little Bicks is based at Federation synagogue Ohr Yisrael. It is about to offer full day care during term time and the Bicks are looking to run a summer scheme, in response to parental demand.

“We have only been open for two months, but the response has been phenomenal,” Rivka Bicks said. “We are just delighted to be able to help ease parents’ worries about their childcare.”

An alleged rift between the current and former Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue rabbis is the talk of the community.

Writing in the shul magazine, author and JC columnist Michael Freedland referred to a “certain disquiet” between Rabbi Naftali Brawer and his predecessor Rabbi Alan Plancey. “Something must be done to get these two gentlemen together — for their own good and for ours.”